In response to thousands of unsolicited anonymous telephone calls to his constituents' homes, Congressman Jim Walsh expressed extreme displeasure with what he referred to as "an obvious scare tactic related to upcoming Social Security reform."

The phone calls, made to 25th District residences Monday, are similar to those made last week in at least 17 other congressional districts around the country. Those calls, according to a Thursday report in the USA Today, were linked to the American Federation of Teachers. The 25th Congressional District includes the towns of Cato, Ira, Sterling, Victory and part of Conquest.

Walsh insists that the statements on the recorded message distort his positions on the issue.

"For the record, the White House has yet to release a formal proposal by the president regarding Social Security," said Walsh.

"I do not believe that the Social Security system is in crisis. The Social Security Administration itself recently reported that the system is able to pay full benefits as they are defined today until at least 2042.

"Rest assured that my support for any eventual reform package will be based firmly upon what is in the best interests of the people of Upstate New York, not any party or president."